The incident took place on Thursday 3 July and saw Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service close the road to manage the fire.

The driver was quick to ‘cut off the air supply to the fire’ after noticing smoke rising from the lorry, according to the council, but the blaze spread rapidly and melted the electrics of the vehicle, resulting in the bin lorry’s mechanism breaking temporarily.

Whilst the vehicle was deemed safe to drive once the fire was extinguished, the council revealed that repairs will likely cost a ‘minimum of £25,000’.

Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for Place and City Management, said the ‘careless act’ of improper vape disposal caused ‘major traffic disruption’ and significant vehicle damage.

Cllr Williams urged residents to dispose of vapes and other items containing batteries, lithium-ion batteries in particular, at a ‘legitimate waste electrical recycling collection point’.

Thanking both the waste collection crew and the fire service team for their ‘swift action’ and professional support during the event, Cllr Williams reinforced that ‘the safety of […] staff and the public are paramount’.

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